Epiphany play of the Three Kings: help IDing responsories
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,768
    The late-13c play of the three kings (Coussemacher No. 16) lasts about a quarter of an hour and according to a rubric leads into the Mass: I've put the text with a barbarous Google translation (has this already been published in a modern language?) on a page at CPDL, and Coussemacher's edition with square notes can be found online (the PDF button takes some hunting for). I'm anxious to find how much of the chants are borrowed before the Berkeley library closes till mid January: Stella fulgore nimio rutilat (v. Eamus ergo); Magi veniunt ab Oriente (v. Cum natus); Ecce stella in Oriente (v. Oritur); and Tria sunt munera (v. Salutis nostre) all look like they could be from one of the Offices…

    I'm also a bit at a loss for navigating Gallica: "fonds latin 904" is not something the search engine wants to find. Any tips?
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,160
    Gallica points to the "e-codices" database for some manuscripts; what manuscript are you looking for: something from St. Gallen?
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,768
    Coussemacher describes it as an ms. formerly in the Bigot library, acquired for the "Imperial Library," which I take to be a precursor of the BNF. I did spot the links for Carolingian mss. but didn't see any 13c.

    I just found a pretty closely matching melody for Tria sunt munera preciosa and now see what you mean about e-codices, which has a facs. for Magi venient ab Oriente Jesusalem. Are either of these in modern books?

    CUA has a nice bibliography of English translations, though I don't see something obviously corresponding...
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,768
    Stevens (Words and Music in the Middle Ages, 1986) confirms that BN latin 904, Coussermacher's Ms. Bigot, is in fact the Rouen Gradual of which a facsimile and French translation were published in 1907. There is also a 14c Ordinal from Rouen with only incipits for the chants, but slightly expanded rubrics. This is given in bilingual layout in The Chief Pre-Shakespearean Dramas (ed. J. Q. Adams, 1924).
  • JL
    Posts: 171
    The Rouen Graduale you want is here:

    http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b84324657.r=904

    The Epiphany play begins at the bottom of f. 28v ("In die epiph'ie...")

    It's a beautifully clear manuscript, and has several other bits worth exploring. (Anybody need a sequence for St. Ouen?)
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen Richard Mix
  • Protasius
    Posts: 468
    Magi veniunt ab Oriente Jerosolymam and Tria sunt munera can be found in the Dominican Matutinum here at Musica Sacra as the 4th and 9th responsory of Epiphany matins respectively (pp. 33 & 35).
    Thanked by 1Richard Mix
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,768
    I've had a go at putting the first half into GABC and posted to CPDL.

    W. Renwick's The Sarum Rite contains The Offices of Epiphany with impressive Englishings of Magi venient & Tria sunt.
    Thanked by 2StimsonInRehab CHGiffen
  • StimsonInRehabStimsonInRehab
    Posts: 1,916
    A great Christmas gift!
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